Internal-combustion engine.



H. H. SUPLEE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 1914.

1,237,576. I v PatentedAug. 21,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

"F ATTORNEYS H. H. SUPLEE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1914.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS -SHEET 2.

4 @www WO2 HENRY HARRISON SUPLEE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Speeiication of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1914. Serial No. 834,878.

17 h all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HARRISON Sarnen, a. citizen of the UnitedStates, residing inthe State of New York, and in the city and county ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIntemal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a clear and exactspecification.

My invention relates to that class of internal-combustion engines inwhich the fuel is injected into the cylinder in a liquid form, withoutprevious vaporization by heat or carburization of air, the fuel beingignited by the heat generated by the compression of air during aprevious compression stroke.

My invention includes both a novel and improved engine and a method ofoperation for said engine.

In such engines, operating on the wellknown four-cycle arrangement, acharge of air is drawn in, compressed, receives the fuel during thepower stroke, and the combustion product is discharged during an exhauststroke. By suitably proportioning the ratio of compression space tocylinder volume, the heat generated during the compressionv produces atemperature suiiiciently high to ignite the charge of liquid fuel, whilethe high degree of compression aids in effecting a complete combustionof the fuel, and enables a high thermal efficiency to be attained In myinvention a cylinder operating as described above is used, not as theprinclpal element in the machine for generating power, but as anignition device and combustion chamber for use in connection with aseparate expansion cylinder, in which the products of combustion aredelivered and allowed to expand behind a moving piston.

My invention is especially designed to permit engines operating under-high compression pressures to be madev of sufficiently small size andlight weight to be suitable for use in automobiles and similar vehicles.I attain this result by limiting the higher compression pressure to acylinder of quite small bore, thus enabling this portion of the machineto be given the necessary strength without requiring excessive thickness0r weight. In supplying fuel to this high compression cylinder I supplymore than suiiicient to combine with the mass of air in the cylinder. .YIgnition having taken (place at the high compression pressure an thegases being partially expanded to a lower pressure 1n Y this smallcylinder there is provided a volume of heated gases and unconsumed fuel,still* possessing considerable pressure and capable of generating aproportionable amount of power in a second cylinder of larger bore andvolume. The lower pressure in this larger cylinder, and especially thefact that it is not required to sustain the sudden and large stressesaccompanying the ignition and primary combustion of the fuel. renders itpossible to make this portion of the machine of moderate thickness andweight while at the same time providing ample rigidity and strength.

The larger cylinder is provided, not only with communication with thesmaller ignition cylinder, but also has an air inlet opening or port andan exhaust port, both of these ports being provided with valves by meansof which they may be opened and closed. By reason of this arrangementthe larger cylinder draws in a charge of air during its suction stroke.Upon the return strokelthis `air is compressed, filling, notl only theclearance space in the cylinder itself, but also the communicatingpassages leading from the ignition cylinder. The volume of this totalcompression space, consisting of the clearance space in the largecylinder and the passageway between the large cylinder and the smallignition cylinder is so proportioned that the air contained therein willbe compressed to a pressure which will be as nearly as practicable equalto the terminal pressurein the ignition cylinder. This condition causesabsence of shock when the exhaust valve of the ignition cylinder isopened, since the gases in the ignition cylinder meet air compressed toabout the same pressure, and the mixture of compressed air and gasesburns and expands together.

This compression of air in the clearance space and communicatingpassages revents any sudden drop of pressure upon tile opening of theexhaust Valve of the ignition cylinder and renders the entire expansiveforce of the products ofcombustion in the ignition cylinder availablefor power production. The power absorbed in compressing the air betweenthe two cylinders is practically all returned by its expansion, whilethe delivery into its mass of the entire volume of heated gases from theignition cylinder affords opportunity for the most efficient conversionofheat into work.

The excess fuel supply which was injected into the ignition cylinder andwhich passes unconsumed therefrom with the combustion Patented Aug. 2i,1917.

gases, combines with the air compressed in the larger cylinder and inthe passage communicating therewith and. is burned, thus adding to thepower developed in the larger cylinder.

I do not interpose anyvalve between the ignition cylinder and theexpansion cylinder except the exhaust valve directly at the outlet ofthe ignition cylinder. This arrangement causes all the connecting spacebetween the two cylindersv to be in communication at all times with thelarge expansion cylinder, and to be wholly cut off from the ignitioncylinder except during the period when the exhaust valve of the ignitioncylinder is open. There are therefore two distinct com-` pression spacesin the engine; one the small clearance space in the ignition cylinder,into which air is compressed to the ignition temperature ofthe fuel; andthe other consisting of the clearance space in the expansion cylinder,together with the communicating passages up to the back of the exhaustvalve which closes the connection to the ignition cylinder.

By using two sets of such cylinders, placed side by side, and connectedto the same crank shaft by connecting rods in the usual manner, it ispossible, by placing the two cranks in an angular relation of 180degrees with each other, to cause the two sets of pistons to haveopposite movements, one pair of pistons being at the lowest point in thestroke while the other pair is at the highestl point, and one pair ofpistons moving downward while the other is moving upward.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a side view ofthe engine; Fig. 2, a vertical section through one set of cylinders andFig. 3 a plan view. A, is

the small, or .ignition cylinder in which operates a piston, B, thispiston being of plunger forni, and being an extension of the largerpiston C, which operates in'the larger cylinder. Both pistons arepositively -united together, so that they move up and down as one piece,and are connected to the crank E by the connecting rod F. Thecylindersare surrounded by a space G, G, G, Gr,

, .K this being'filled'with circulating water and forming a water'jacket for the purpose of res maintaining the working parts atasui'iciently low temperature as to prevent' overheating, in the mannerwell-known in the construction of internal combustion engines.

The upper portion of the small cylinder p A, is formed intol a clearancespace a, into which are fitted valves and 0',- 7), being an'admissionvalve through'which external air may bedraw'n through the passage d.

vThe valve c, is an exhaust valve, and when open, places the cylinder incommunication with the connecting passages H, I-I, leading to the largecylinder D. The valves 7J and c open inward, and are held to theirseats' ing, 1n such a manner that the cam shafts y g, g, make onerevolution for every two revolutions ofthe crank shaft I, I.

The clearance space is so proportioned to the volume displaced by thepiston B, that the air drawn in during the suction stroke, is compressedto a pressure suiciently great to create a temperature high enough toignite the heavier liquid hydro-.carbons, such as petroleum or kerosene.The liquid fuel is introduced, together with air, througha small opening2' in the end of the cylinder A, this opening being opened and closed bya needle valve Z2, operated by a bell crank Z, Z, and cam on thecam-shaft g. The liquid fuel is preferably contained in a suitable tank7', which is so placed that the liquid will flow by gravity to the pumpsfrom which it is fed under pressure. The liquid fuel is deliveredthrough piping 70, o, to pumps s, s, opera-ted by'eccentrics or crankst, t, on the crank shaft g, a charge of fuel being injected at everyalternate stroke through the pipes zo, u, into the space fv, around theneedle valve 73.

A compressing air pump P, which may be driven either independently or bya crank R on the'crankshaft I, delivers air underl pressure to anairtank or recelver O, the pump being so proportioned as to maintain apressure in theI receiver 0,' which shall be higher than the maximumcompression pressure in the clearance space of the cylinder A. Thecompressed air tank O is in communication kwith the space o, so that thespace 'v is supplied both with liquid fuel through the pipes u, u, fromthe pumps s, s, I

and with compressed air from the tank O,

through the pipes/n, n. When needle valve 7c is opened oil is,therefore, positively forced into the cylinder A by reason of the highervair pressure in space c.'

The large cylinders D, D, are provided with air inlet valves S, S, andexhausts valves T, T, operated by cams on the cam 4 shaft g.

`Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, an expansion cylinder, an ignitioncylinder., a passage between the two cylinders Said passage beingnormally closed to the ignition cylinder, a piston for each cylindersaid pistons being definitely related so as to move simultaneously butin opposite directions, means for supplying air to the cylinders d uringan out stroke of their pistons, means for supplying liquid fuel to theignition cylinder at the beginning of and during the second out strokeof its piston and means for opening said passage at the end of said lastnamed out stroke, the said two cylinders being so proportioned that,just as the passage between them is opened, the air pressure in theexpansion cylinder shall be substantially equal to thatl of the gases inthe ignition cylinder. i .l

2. In an interna] combustion engine, two sets 'of similar cylinders eachset comprising an ignition cylinder and an expansion cylinder, pistonsfor the two cylinders of each f set connected together to move as oneand the pistons of the two sets connected together so as to moveoppositely, a passage between each ignition cylinder and the expansioncylinder of the other set both passages being normally closed, means forsupplying air to the cylinders of each set on successive out strokes,means for supplying liquid fuel to the two ignition 4cylinders; at thebeginning of and during successive second out strokes, and means foropening the two passages at the end of said last named out strokes.

more than 'a .combining proportion of fuell oil into said compressedair, compressing a relatively much larger volume of air to a lowerdegree and then connecting the latter volume with said former mixture ofair and burning oil when said mixture has eX- panded to a point whereits pressure is substantially the same as the pressure of the largervolume.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY HARRISON SUPLEE.

Witnesses ELMER Gr. WILLYOUNG, FRITZ ZIEGLER, JR.

